The FAI were chasing an equaliser, but have fallen further behind

In football parlance, the FAI were trying to cancel out a deficit from the first leg, but ended up trailing further behind. 

The association was already in arrears heading from their last visit to their governmental paymasters, departing Leinster House before Christmas having been scolded for providing a “cock and bull story”.

Well, that was Alan Dillon’s putdown to Jonathan Hill.

They were back before the Public Accounts Committee yesterday. Oireachtas committee rooms have not been happy hunting grounds for FAI chief executives. Nobody will forget John Delaney’s stonewalling to politicians in April 2019. 

But this new-look association came with a promise of leaving dark eras behind. So when Delaney's successor rocked up yesterday morning, having not only flouted the deadline set for submission of his opening statement, but was at the centre of emails covered in black blotches from redaction excuses, stereotypes around familiar FAI failings were unavoidable.

“It was an insult to the public, never mind the committee,” blasted Brian Stanley, Chairman of the PAC, afterwards.

During the three-and-a-half hours there was no getting away from TDs' annoyance at the delay, the redactions, as well as the economical approach Hill adopted in addressing questions.

There were two main takeaways from the day's sitting: Hill’s part in the pay-for-untaken holidays scandal and an apparent breach of covid-19 grant aid - both of which damage the reputation of the FAI in the eyes of their key stakeholders.

One of those stakeholders is the very group they faced, public representatives, as not alone did they bail out the FAI in early 2020 but have increased state funding since.

So how is the FAI now placed to be trusted with the half